The price of 'success'

Last Friday morning, my son told me about Michael Jackson's death. All I could comment at that point was that he (Michael) might have been overdoing things (maybe taking excess medications etc) in order to preserve his looks/physique. Later, I was talking to a spiritual friend who pointed out something about Michael, that went deeper than 'overdoing' things. This friend mentioned that in all his success, Michael had never had a childhood, and was more than anything else searching for his identity. I thought over all that and realized it held more than a grain of truth.

Success is exhilarating and yet there is a price to pay : the price is even higher if the successful person has no sense of identity, apart from that of performance. It is so easy to identify with what we do, and especially what we do well. And other people are also not helpful - in that they too begin to identify us by what we do.

The only and most effective remedy is a 'spiritual' one. And it is not easy, at least not easier than simply identifying with what we do, with our successes. It involves asking the Lord to tell us "who" we are in his sight - how he sees us - and to wait, trusting that he will do so, with care and gentleness. It can be daunting to face the side of ourselves that is not so successful, the 'warts and all' that we would rather not look at. But the Lord's assessment will always be kindly, even if honest and truthful. Then the price of success might perhaps not take all that we have, even our very life.

I heard one of the recording stars interviewed after his death say that "everyone has a Michael Jackson" song. I wondered what mine was and remembered the song sung by the Jackson Five "I'll be there" - a song with a melody that I can remember, though the words are a bit vague......I'll get my son to download it one of these days and listen again.... may Michael rest in peace in the arms of the One who will always "be there".